Match Recap: Sacramento Republic FC 1, Oklahoma City Energy FC 0

By sradmin, 08/02/16, 3:45PM PDT

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James Kiffe’s first professional goal and their second consecutive shutout leads Sacramento Republic FC to a 1-0 win over Oklahoma City Energy FC.

The match started with both sides battling for control in the midfield. In the 16th minute, Republic FC had their first strong look at goal when midfielder Octavio Guzman received the ball in the middle of the field after a poor clearance from Oklahoma City. Guzman took a touch forward before unleashing a 30-yard strike toward the left side of the goal. However, Energy FC Cody Laurendi was there for the diving save, blocking the ball away for a corner and keeping the match scoreless.

Republic FC got their next look on the ensuing corner. Midfielder Danny Barrera sent a ball to the middle of the box where it found defender Mike da Fonte who had run from the right side of the box. da Fonte’s header looked destined for the upper-right corner of the goal, but the ball hit the corner of the right post cross bar and bounced away.

Energy FC had their best look of the half in the 32nd minute when forward Danni König got the ball on the right side of the field after a poor clearance by Republic FC. König dribbled through the open space on the right side to the top of the box before unleashing a right-footed shot, but his shot went well high and left of the goal, keeping the match scoreless at the half.

Republic FC started the second half strong, getting a great look on goal in just the 46th minute. Forward Joaquin Rivas took the ball down the middle of the field, drawing the defense to him before playing the ball out wide left to Cameron Iwasa. The forward then took the ball down the left side, into the box and past his mark before sending a left-footed shot toward the upper left corner of goal. However, Laurendi was there again for the save, keeping the match scoreless.

Later in the second half, Energy FC had their best look of the night in the 75th minute. Defender Kyle Hyland made a long throw in to the middle of the box that found the head of substitute Colin Bonner. The forward headed the ball toward goal, but his shot was blocked away. The clearance only got to the top of the box, however, landing at the feet of König whose strong volleyed shot looked as if it was going toward goal, but deflected off the foot of a Republic FC defender.

Republic FC broke deadlock in the 83rd minute. Iwasa held the ball up on the left side of the box before sending the ball to defender James Kiffe who was open in the middle of the box. Kiffe’s first shot was blocked by a sliding Coady Andrews, but the ball landed right back at the feet of Kiffe whose second shot went into the top of the goal and past Laurendi, giving Republic FC the late 1-0 lead.

Substitute forward Mackenzie Pridham almost doubled Republic FC’s lead late after midfielder Max Alvarez played him free on the right side of the box. Pridham went one-on-one with Laurendi, but Pridham’s grounded shot from the top of the box by a sliding Laurendi.

Republic FC’s rode out the rest of the match following Pridham’s shot, giving them the 1-0 win and ending their five-match road stretch with a victory.